Internal-combustion engine power unit for locomotives



Aug. 4, 1953 F. R. FELL 2,647,372

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE POWER UNIT FOR LOCOMOTIVES Filed Aug. 29, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 A llurney 4, 1953 L. F. RIFELL 2,647,372

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE POWER UNIT FOR LOCOMOTIVES Filed Aug. 29, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Invenlor uis F. a. Fall MQmA Altorney Aug. 4, 1953 1.. F. RJFELL 2,647,372

INTERNAL-COMBUSTION ENGINE POWER UNIT FOR LOCOMOTIVES Filed Aug. 29, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 A llorney Patented Aug. 4, 1953 UNIT FOR LOCOMOTIVES- Louis Frederick Rudston Fell, Littleover, England, assignor to Fell Developments Limited, London, England, a British company Application August 29, 1946, Serial No. 693,613

In Great Britain August 29, 1945 7 Claims. 1

This invention concerns improvements in or relating to power units for locomotives and has for its object to provide a power unit which will be capable of operating at a substantially constant power output and in which the driving torque is variable within the required limits over the running speed range of the locomotive without the necessity of providing change speed gears or electric transmission or other form of torque multiplier between the power unit and the driving wheels of the locomotive.

According to the present invention a power unit for a locomotive comprises an internal-combustion engine for driving the locomotive (hereinafter called the main engine) the fuel supply of which main engine is varied automatically with variations in the air supply, an auxiliary internal combustion engine, a blower driven by the auxiliary engine and supplying the main engine with air and a control for the auxiliary engine to vary the output of the blower whereby the power developed by the main engine is maintained substantially constant throughout its running speed range and the engine torque diminishes as the speed increases within said range, the mainengine being connected to the driving wheels of the locomotive through the agency of a fluid coupling, or clutch with similar characteristics, whose eiiective range of speed variation corresponds to the operating speed range of the main engine, slipping of the coupling taking place below the running speed range thereof.

The ignition timing of the main enginemay be automatically varied with variations in the output of the blower or by the rotational speed of the main engine. It will be understoodthat the actual means provided for the automatic variation of fuel supply and ignition timing to the main engine are determined by the type of engine employed and that the automatic fuel supply means employed in the case of homogeneous charge type engines such as fuel-air control associated with a carburetor, would need adaptation in the case of compression ignition engines where some sort of pneumatic fuel control actuated by the air inlet pressure to the engine would clearly be appropriate. It will also be understood that in relation to compression ignition engines it is more appropriate to speak of injection timing as the counterpart of ignition timing which applies more particularly to homogeneous charge type engines.

A specific embodiment of the present invention will now be described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings,

and whereas this embodiment is more particu: larly applicable to -homogeneous charge type engines it should not'beregarded as restricted to this type of engine'and indeed could find ap-' plication in connection with compression ignition type engines provided suitable automatic fuel control means such as pneumatic f-uel control actuated by air inlet pressure are incorpo- Y rated.

Figure lis a diagrammatic perspective view of a power unit for a locomotiveconstructed in accordance with the present invention,

Figure 2 is a similar view showing another, construction in accordance with the invention,

Figure 3 is a schematic, drawing showing the controls which are associated with the power unit shown in Figure 2, and

Figure 4 is a perspective view showing yet another construction of power plant in accordance with the present invention.

Referring to Figure l,'the power unit general- 1y comprises a main engine I 0,'an independent auxiliary engine II which is provided to drive a blower l2 and a control 58 for the auxiliary engine under the regulation of the driver or" operator. The delivery of the blower I2 is conveyed by a duct 13V to the induction systemv I 4 of the main engine In thev blower output being varied by regulating the auxiliary engine H. The main engine'lO is connected to the driving wheels of the locomotive (such as 15) through the medium of a fiuid' coupling l6 'ofknown construction and operation, the output shaft 11 thereof being connectedto the driving wheels by a transmission gearing I8, a transmission shaft I9, a reversing gear indicated at 20, gear-' ing- 2| and the wheel axle 22. The main engine lflis provided with a fuel-air mixture-control which automatically adjuststhe fuel supply tothe main engine so that it accords with the boost pressure of the blower I2 said mixture control being operated rby the pressure in the main engine air inlet. Similarly an ignition timing control may be providedso thatthe igition tim I ing of the enigne I0 is varied to accord with the,

boost pressure as well as in accordance with the speed of rotation of the said engine." Such de-- vices are described in greater detail below, in relation to Figure'3. g

From the above it willbeappreciated that the main engine to is not under the direct'mechanical control ofthe driver but that its operation is determined bythe output of the blower I2 which is variedrby the driver of the locomotive.

adjusting the 'power.,.output of *the auxiliary:

engine, a suitable control 58 (see Figure 3) being provided for this purpose.

With the arrangement described, when the locomotive is stationary both the main and auxiliar engines are idling and the blower is supplying a 'comparativelysmall quantity of air to the main engine. The fuel-supply to .Ithe main engine is accordingly adjusted so that the engine rotates at a low speed. In these circumstances the fluid coupling is slipping to its maximum extent so that no drive is transmittedffrom" the main engine to the locomotive driving wheels." Upon the driver opening up the-auxiliary engine its speed, and accordingly the blower'output. is increased. At the same time the automatic mixcorresponding to the lower limit of the main engine running speed range. To minimize this waste of power the power unit shown in Figure 2 has been provided. Referring to this figure the power unit comprises a pair of main engines Illa, 10b and a single associated auxiliary engine H whichdrives a blower 52 which supplies by means of the duct l3 and induction systems Ma, t ll) .the pair of main engines lila, Nib. The output shaft of each main engine is connected to a fluid coupling 16a, l6?) and thence to a simple difierture-control will adjust the fuel-supply to the main engine so that it accords with the increased quantity of air passing to the latter. The ignition timing is appropriately adjusted in a similar manner. As a result of the increased output of the blower and the increased fuel-sup torque of the latter" increases. As the" torque of'the main engin'e in ply to the main engine, thecreases the slip of'the fluid coupling is reduced andtorque-is'transmitted to the driving wheels of the locomotive. F

"The auxiliary engine at its'full power and speed makes available to the main engine'a constant supply of air independently of the main engine or locomotive-speed so that the main engine can be heavily supercharged-at low locomotive speeds. The pressure of supercharge, however, falls away" asthe 'locomotiv'esp'eed increases; The point at which the pressure oi supercharge 'falls :away is selected to coincide with -the .1 transmission of torque through the iiuid coupling with the minimum of slip. This point corresponds to the-mini mum speed or the running speed range referred toabove so that within-th'e sp'eedrange themain engine is operatively coupledto the drivingwheels oithe locomotive; Within saidrange the torque of tlie main' engine. and the speedof the locomoa tive' is varied by regulating substantially the power output ofth auxiliary engine as this determinesthe boost pressure applied to the main engine." Furthermore with this iorm of power unit and control, the maintengine: will "develop; a

mainengine tobe used to drive the locomotive.

- In the arrangements understood that below main engine full; torque.

is geared to described aboVe it will be the fluid coupling. does not. transmit Ihis means that if the locomotive run .at. a high maximum speed, the

period from starting-over which the fluid coupling will slipycan conveniently p k I mit full torque. at muchless-than one'third'v of becomeexcessive since it. cannot be the'full main enginespeed, In thisway al hough the; (full torque of the engine is required to start the trainiirom rest andat low rail speeds nevertheless the. full power of, the main engine is not utilized at the rail until the train reaches a speed the running speed of the arranged for the coupling to trans-V ential gear generally indicated by the reference numeral 23 the-planet carrier 25 of said difierentlal'being connected with the locomotive driving wheels l5 through the transmission system described with reference to Figure 1.

Themain engine lilo, here regarded as a homogeneous charge engine, is provided with a fuelairmiiiture control 5911 which is actuated through a linkage am from a pressure-sensitive device 52c responsive to the. pressure in the main engine air inlet' and which automatically adjusts, the mixture. supply to the main ,engineso that it accords withtneboost pressureat the air inlet-to this engine. Similarly'anignition timing con trol 53a is provided which is also actuated through a linkage 54a -fromthe pressure sensitive device 520.; so that thevignition timingof the engine l fie, isalso-varied to accord withthe boost pressure at the air inlet.

be either. of the-homogeneous chargetypewor of the-compression ignition type, and although in any particular locomotive both theengines, lite and E01) will-generally be of the same type, in the present instance the engine lflbis show-n of the compression ignition type purely for the purpose of illustrating inone drawing the aux-- iliaries OfzilhfiliWO difierent types of engine. Thus the engine JQZris provided with afuel-injectiom pump 5613- which is actuated through a linkage- 5lb;from. a pressure-sensitive .deviceEQb to vary the quantity of fuel injected independence upon the boostgpressure at the air'inlet to this main. engine. If, desired the timing of the fuel injecetion' can also be variedin dependence upon the boost pressure through a linkageillb.

.The capacity ofthe blower I2 is such that at,

the maximum power of the-auxiliary engine it sufiicient air issupplied to the main engines 18a, Hlb to maintain both of them. at fullrated horsepower.. The .controlsystem-ror the power unit shown in Figure 2 is diagrammatically illustrated in. Figure 3 and comprises for each main engine lilo, 1.0?) an air .throttle25a, 25b disposed in that portion of the'duct l3'which leadsto the associated induction. system,v the arrangementbeing.

that if one main engine is throttled it continues.

tooperate idly whilst the other engineis res'pon; siv'eto' the blower delivery, its airthrottle being correspondingly opened. At startingjone main engine may be highly. supercharged whilst the other is idling, the operating engine being adapted to provide vav starting torque up to the limit of adhesion."' V

,In Figure 3. the air throttle 25a shown open with the main engine l 0a operative .and respo'n siv e. to the delivery of the blower l2 whilst air throttle'liib is shown, closed so that its associated engine lflb is idling;

The fiuidcouplings 16a, 6b are each associated with a brake-drum, the outputshaft Ila or [72) of each fluid coupling being connected-to acorresponding brake-drum Zfiqor 26b and the latter in; turn being connected by; means of. the shaft;

It will be understood thatthe main engine. v

21a or 211) with the differential gear 23. Associated with each brake-drum 26a, 26b is a brake band 28a or 28b. With such an arrangement when either brake band 2811 or 28b i applied to its associated brake-drum the output shaft of.

the associated fluid coupling will be held stationary. Referring to Figure 3, if the brake band 28b is applied to the drum 262) so that the output side of the fluid coupling lfibis held stationary as described above, and the main enginelfla is supplied with a supercharge of air as described above, then the'engine Illa will transmitthrough theother of the control cylinders 30a, 39b, each of Which carries a piston vElla or 3lbagainst which one end of the corresponding spring 29a or 29b abuts. Pressure fluid is supplied to the cylinders 30a, 30b from the lubricating system of its associated main engine, the supply of pressure fluid to each cylinder being regulated by a rotary valve 32a or 32b. I

As shown in Figure 3pressure fluid passes from the main engines tojthe valves 32a, 32b and hence to the control cylinders 39a, 301') by way of pipe lines 33a, 33b. The air throttles 25a, 25b are each urged towards the closed position by a spring 34a or 34b which is carried within a cylinder 35a or 35b the piston 36a or 361) of which is connected by a link 31a or 371) to the corresponding air throttle 25a or 251). Eachcylinder 35a, 35b is supplied with pressure fluid from the lubrication system of its associated main engine, the admission of pressure fluid tothe cylinders 35a, 35b being efiective against the pressure of the springs 34a, 34b to open the 'air throttles 25a, 25b. As is clear from Figure 3, the admission of pressure fluid to cylinders 30a, 30b and 35a, 35b is' simultaneously controlled by the associated valves 32a, 32b. 7 v

The valves 32a, 3% are interconnected by a rod 38 and are adjustable by means of a hand lever 39 which is under the control of the locomotive driver. With the hand lever 39 in the position shown in Figure 3 valve 32a is set to permit pressure fluid to pass to cylinders 30a and 35a and as a consequence air throttle25a is open open and both brakes in their inoperative position. As a consequence both main engines Illa, I012 will transmit power to the driving wheels of the locomotive.

With the control arrangement described with reference to Figure 3, in the event of failure of one of the main engines 10a, 10b the oil pressure in the lubricating system falls to zero and as a result said engines will berendered automatically inoperativek This will also occur in the event that thelubricating system of the main engine fails through any cause. Such an arrangement will also prevent one main engine from driving the other main engine backwards val and the brake band 28a'disengaged from the brake-drum 26a. The drive to' the locomotive wheels is therefore by means of the main engine ma as described above. With this setting of the valve 32a, the valve 32b is set so as to close pipe 53?? and connect the cylinders 30b and 35b toan exhaust pipe ti l). As a consequence the spring 3411 adjusts its associated 'airthrottle b to the closed position (and engine Mb idles) and spring 29?) applies brake band 28b to brake-drum 26b. Engine Hlb therefore does not transmit power to the driving wheels of the locomotive.

In the event that hand lever 39 is set to the position indicated at 39a, the valve 32a will be set to connect cylinders a, a with the exhaust pipe a, whilst the valve 321) will be set to permit pressure fluid to pass from the lubricating system of engine IBb to cylinders 30b, 35b. The effect will be that engine Illa idles whilst engine Hlb is operating. When the hand lever 39 is set to position 390 both air throttles 25a, 25b will be under any circumstances.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in Figure 4 a pair of power plants as described with reference to Figure 2 is provided in a locomotive and the transmission shafts [9a, l9b, associated with each' power unit are connected to a sliderential gear generally indicated by the reference numeral 4|. Theplanet carrier 42 of the difierential gear 4! is connected with the locomotive driving wheels l5 by means of a gear 43, the reversing gear 2!), gear 2| and the axle shaft 22.

With such an arrangement'if one main engine only is-permitted to drive through its associated fluid coupling to the associated transmission shaft l9 and hence through the differential gear 41 to the locomotive driving wheels full-power torque from said fluid coupling will be reached at a locomotive speed which is one quarter of the minimum value of the running speed range for the direct drive arrangement described with reference to Figure 1. In the embodiment shown in Figure 4 the control systemshown in Figure 3 is suitably adapted so that one, two, or all the main engines may transmit their drive to the driving wheels of the locomotive.

What I claim as my invention and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A power unit for a locomotive comprising in combination at least two main internal combustion. engines, transmission mechanism from each engine through which the wheels of the locomotive are driven, each transmission mechanism including a fluid coupling, means for braking the output member of said coupling, and a difierential gear through which the torque is transmitted from each of the said main engines to the driving wheels, an auxiliary internal combustion engine, a blower driven by the said auxiliary engine and supplying air to each of the said main engines, and means operating in connection with said braking means'for controlling the air delivery to the said main engines whereby the power developed by the said main engines is maintained substantially constant throughout their running speed range and the engine torque diminishes as the speed increaseswithin the said range.

2. A'power unit for alocomotive including in combination two 'power units each comprising the parts as set out in claim 1 and including in the transmission a common differential gear 1 member: pfijthei zsaickooupliner-anm a; differential ,geamdriren throuehweachiofzzsaid.fluid couplings .athrough: Whichsthe: torque.- sis transmitted; from each of the said main engines toy-thendtivmg vwheelaa anr. interoonneetion Thetween the :said

:Ethrottle of; each; of the saidrlmainengines and the :saidbrakingmeans associated with ,thefluid cou- .z-pling :in:.thegtransmission; mechanism of .each engii-ia so; thatxwhen; the throttle;-is.z-setf-for amengineto idle, the said braking. means will :be: opera- .-.'.tiiS(8-1OD;iheI outpuomember of the :fluid coupling, an auxiliaryzinternal combustion engine-,- a-biower :driven bathe said auxiliaryengine and supplying a n=tUifiaQhIDfI$fihe saidimain engines, and, means operating in oonnectionzwith:saidgibraking means ,iol'z-controilingq-the airdeliveryjothe said main ienginespwhereby thepower: developed by the'said :mainrengines is ;.,maintained;- substantiailygzcongstant throughout. theinrunning speed range and the 5 engine torque 1:1 diminishes as .,the-: speed; 2-inroreaseszwithin-ithe saidyrange; p 2e crpower; plants comprising-fiche partszoaswset 3011.. nelaim-B andinclndingza springi-itendingato .moreld owardsrits closed positionthesaid throttle of each; of ;:the; =-said imain engines and; spring ,tendingpto apply.- the braking wmeansriassoc-i'ated *With the fluid coupl n in, thert-ransm-ission mechanisme of; each engine; and means i actuated. by qfluiclpressure and; operative in: opposition to, said springsto open the throttleeand at the sam eitime to release thealoraking-imeans associated :withthe itransmission,ofieaoh'oi the-said engines. a

5 powemunit: for; a :locomotive! comprising-in combinationzatuleast' two main internal combusitionoeneines, :transmission -;:mechanism -ri-rom .:each, engine -..throughuwhich the: wheels, :of'. the locomotive". are ydliVGD-gfiEtCh transmissionzmeohanism'includingla fluid coupling, tsmeans; for z br'aking the output -;member of, eaohrofosaidscouplingsnand a difierential gear driven through eaehmfi said fluid mouplings throu h which thew-torque is trans- .mitted; from: eachof; the:v said; main engines. to thenriving- \Wheels; springiactuated ,means-tendiingvto olose the; said; throttle of each of the; said main engines; springactuated meansutending to 1 apply the .-bralce to the said fluid ecouphngirr the transmission -,.-meehan-ism; associated =-wi-th :each unainsengine, fiuidzpressure-r-means operative; in

opposition to. ..thesaid-spring means to openi-the throttleHandQatIthe same timeto release the ubral-ze in the, said transmissionofseach engine, means ,.for ;oontro1ling .simultaneouslythe :said ,fluidtpressureimeans with respect-to the-said throttle and brake 1 operating ,means "for, each engine so thatw-hileoneof the said main engines .canlhave. itsthrottle closed: and its brake-applied ...and,.,the .othermain engine at the-same time. can have, its throttle openend itstbrake released on 'the' other ,hand byi actuation ,,.of .the said. oontrolling-means. the ,throttles of. each engine :can j bei. simultaneously ,opened, and the brake of; each throttlewvalve for each engine,

:nhita comprisingzithe; parts .as-set said motion transmitting meansandsaid control member; adapted. .to adjust the-ignition timing inf said engines independence upon the) output-of :said blower.

"*7; Apower unit'ufor'a locomotiveoomprisingsin combination at least one z-pairr-of main engines, transmission mechanism fthrough. which .the :wheels ofthe locomotive a1e driven-by one or bothzoft the. said tna-in engines; the transmission mechanism including a fluid coupling "associated with each" of the-said-main..engines,ian auxiliary internal combustion engine; a" b1ower driven by the said auxiliary engine and. supplying air to both the said main engines; means' for controlling the said-auxiliary engine and therebythe air "delivered to the said main engines whereby the power developed *by the said-mainengines is maintained substantially-constant throughout-the runningspeed-of the 'engines-and the engine torque "diminishes as the speed increases within the said-range, means'for applying a brake to 40 the-output-member of each'of the said fluid. coupli'ngs so as 'to-hold' that member against rotation,- and a differential" gear'd'riven through each of'the5said=fiuid couplings'said differential "gear being included in the said transmission -mechanism.

LOUIS; FREDERIGK: RUDSTON .FELL.

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